Scope

Under the guidance of the Working Party on Scientific Issues of Reactor Systems (WPRS), the expert group performed specific tasks associated with radiation transport and shielding aspects of current and future nuclear systems and accelerator-based irradiation facilities.

Nuclear systems considered, including but not limited to the following:

• present generation light-water reactors (LWRs) and heavy-water reactors (HWRs) with advanced and innovative fuels, evolutionary and innovative LWRs and HWRs
• high-temperature gas reactors (HTRs)
• fast-spectrum systems and other advanced reactor systems
• neutronics issues associated fusion systems
• spent fuel and waste management operations.

The expert group also had the  option to consider radiation transport and shielding for some other types of facilities, including:

• accelerator, target and irradiation facilities
• accelerator-driven (sub-critical) and critical systems for waste transmutation.

Objectives

• provided expert advice to the WPRS and the nuclear/accelerator communities on the development needs (such as data and methods, models and codes, validation experiments) for various nuclear and accelerator systems and scenarios
• provided specific technical information regarding:
  • 3-D radiation transport codes and methods
  • pressure vessel and internals surveillance
  • shielding and dosimetry aspects of accelerator, target and irradiation facilities
  • neutron activation and shielding.

The technical information was generally derived from a combination of direct experimental evidence and/or the results of theoretical benchmark analyses (including sensitivity/uncertainty analysis) using validated modelling methods. In either case, the availability of suitable experimental data was a fundamental requirement. A key objective of the group was, therefore, to help identify, evaluate and preserve this type of experimental data. In this context, the expert group monitored, steered and supported the continued development of the International Radiation Shielding Experiments Database (SINBAD), in co-operation with the United States’ Radiation Safety Information Computational Centre (RSICC).

Links to other NEA bodies and international projects

The expert group reported to the Working Party on Scientific issues in Reactor Systems (WPRS) and maintained close links with the International Reactor Physics Experiments (IRPhE) and International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation (ICSBEP) projects. It also worked in co-ordination with the Joint Evaluated Fission and Fusion File (JEFF) NEA Data Bank project and with the Shielding Aspects of Accelerators, Targets and Irradiation Facilities (SATIF) community of accelerator shielding specialists. Links were also established with the Codes and Standards Working Group (CSWG) of the Multilateral Design Evaluation Programme (MDEP).

Deliverables

• State-of-the-art report on 3D Radiation Transport Codes and Methods
• Contribute to the ICSBEP Technical Review Group activity for the shielding chapter
• Specification for Deterministic Time-Dependent Neutron Transport Benchmark C5-G7-TD without Spatial Homogenisation for Phase II and Phase III
• Organise the C5-G7-TD benchmark meeting
• Co-ordinate the organisation of and publish the proceedings for the SATIF-15 Workshop.